Book Tour for Starstruck by L.A. Witt (Review & GIVEAWAY)

As a fan of book series I'm excited to bring you the denizens of Bluewater Bay as depicted by ten of the best LGBTQ authors out there.  Keep reading to get a taste of this series with the release of Starstuck by L.A. Witt along with my impressions of this book.  Make sure to leave a comment below, and at the other blogs hosting this tour, for the chance to win a $10 Riptide Publishing GC and books too!

Welcome to Bluewater Bay! This quiet little logging town on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula has been stagnating for decades, on the verge of ghost town status. Until a television crew moves in to film Wolf’s Landing, a soon-to-be cult hit based on the wildly successful shifter novels penned by local author Hunter Easton.
Wolf’s Landing’s success spawns everything from merchandise to movie talks, and Bluewater Bay explodes into a mecca for fans and tourists alike. The locals still aren’t quite sure what to make of all this—the town is rejuvenated, but at what cost? And the Hollywood-based production crew is out of their element in this small, mossy seaside locale. Needless to say, sparks fly.
This collaborative story world is brought to you by ten award-winning, best-selling LGBTQ romance authors: L.A. Witt, L.B. Gregg, Z.A. Maxfield, Aleksandr Voinov, Heidi Belleau, Rachel Haimowitz, Anne Tenino, Amy Lane, SE Jakes, and G.B. Gordon. Each contemporary novel stands alone, but all are built around the town and the people of Bluewater Bay and the Wolf’s Landing media empire. 
Join L.A. Witt and L.B. Gregg for the Welcome to Bluewater Bay Tour, and check out Starstruck and There's Something About Ari to meet the cast, crew, and locals!

Hollywood is full of dirty secrets, but Carter refuses to be Levi’s.

Retired action star Levi Pritchard has made a quiet life for himself in the sleepy logging town of Bluewater Bay, Washington. But then Hollywood comes to film the wildly popular television series Wolf’s Landing, and Bluewater Bay isn’t so sleepy anymore. His retirement doesn’t stick, either, because he’s offered a part on the show—exactly the kind of complex role he’d always wanted, one that would prove him more than a glorified stuntman. The only catch? He has to stay in the closet—no matter how attractive he finds his co-star.
Carter Samuels is the critically-acclaimed male lead on Wolf’s Landing. And now, the man who inspired him to take up acting—and made him realize he’s gay—is joining the cast, and sparks fly between them instantly. But Carter is out and proud and determined to stay true to himself.
Remaining just friends is the only thing to do, as both the studio and Levi’s disapproving, dysfunctional family keep reminding them. Except their friendship deepens by the day, tempting them with what they can’t have but both desperately need.

*****LEARN EVEN MORE ABOUT STARSTRUCK HERE*****

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

L.A. Witt has always had a profound way with words in that she can convey so many emotions using so few words.  In this first installment in the Bluewater Bay series it's all about the emotional intensity and internal struggle for acceptance that weighs heavily on a man dealing with issues of coming out in the highly judgmental world of acting.  Levi was once at the top of the movie world, popular for being an action hero but who desired to be and do more serious things.  Out of frustration he walked away from it all before it killed him.  He's missed acting though and when given the chance to be on a popular show opposite gay young actor Carter he's drawn to it but scared to jump back into the limelight.  Once he does, his life takes an unexpected turn as his attraction to Carter will finally force him into slaying his inner demons once and for all.  Levi is compelling, conflicted, and in pain over how he wants to live his life.  The expectations of his parents have frustrated him and left him feeling alone.  He doesn't want to be labeled or put his career in jeopardy but just being friends with Carter isn't enough ultimately.  They're too alike to ignore their attraction and being himself around Carter is too appealing not to sacrifice all for the sweet natured Carter.

Carter is quite comfortable with his sexuality and doesn't let those in charge control him because of it.  He's wise beyond his years in accepting himself which let him be carefree and unafraid in being with whoever he wants.  He's always been drawn to Levi and what at first looks like a crush soon becomes more as they discover how compatible they are together.  Carter is delightful as he's exuberant, a breath of fresh air, and just what Levi needs to be himself.  Carter's subtly supportive but not willing to be Levi's secret.  This defining moment leads to big changes for both of them that had me cheering in a scene that was explosive.

They may have started out as friends but the sexual tension was apparent from the start and slowly evolved into more.  Though the story felt a bit slow at times it was nice seeing these two men really get to know each other.  It wasn't all about sex for them, there was true compatibility.  That's not to say that their sexual interludes weren't satisfying as from a lingering glance to a touch their sexual chemistry was blatant.  Theirs was a sweet, sensual, yet rocky journey to happiness and acceptance of themselves and each other.  Overall this was a satisfying start to a series with lots of characters that caught my attention and I look forward to more.

My rating for this is a B+

*I got this book from NetGalley for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

L.A. Witt is an author of gay erotic romances, and has been recently exiled from Okinawa, Japan, to Omaha, Nebraska. She resides there with her husband, a telekinetic goldfish, and two incredibly spoiled cats. It’s unclear if the exile was the result of the mostly classified “Aquarium Incident,” or if she’s actually being hidden, for her protection, from the Polynesian Mafia and her arch nemesis, erotic romance author Lauren Gallagher. Should you encounter Lauren, don’t tell her L.A. is in Omaha. This bio will self-destruct in 17 seconds.

WEBSITE:  loriawitt.com
AUTHOR BLOG:  gallagherwitt.blogspot.com
PERSONAL BLOG:  navywifeadventures.blogspot.
TWITTER:  @GallagherWitt
FACEBOOK:  facebook.com//L-A-Witt-MM-Fiction
GOODREADS:  goodreads.com/GallagherWitt

**********GIVEAWAY**********

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (excluding Starstruck) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 9^th, and winners will be announced on November 10^th. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.